1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for monitoring an area, with the aid of a radar system.
The invention particularly relates to monitoring an area in which at least one non-cooperative radar target is present. A target of this nature has no so-called transponder and/or no navigation system whose navigation results can be interrogated by a stationary (radar) transmitter/receiver system.
2. Description of the Related Art
An area monitored by the present invention may be, for example, a regional airport at which aircraft are dispatched in accordance with visual flight rules. The area may also be a tarmac that is part of a major airport, for example, at which, in addition to immobile or moving aircraft, for instance, immobile or moving vehicles, for example shuttle buses and/or supply vehicles must be monitored. Moreover, the area may also be, for example, a navigable waterway, such as a river and/or a canal or a port.
Widely-varying types of radar targets are present in such areas whose position must be located and which must be classified as precisely as possible.
It is conventional to monitor such an area with the aid of a single, powerful radar system. If the area to be monitored has an unfavorable topography, a method of this type has the particular disadvantage that so-called shadows may develop, in which reliable monitoring is not possible.